Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Natural Gas: Russia

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 26 October (HL2999), when they last communicated with the government of Russia regarding the gas supply from that country to the UK; and when the next discussion at ministerial level is planned.

Lord Callanan: The UK benefits from diverse sources of gas supply, including domestic production, pipeline imports from reliable suppliers like Norway, and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). BEIS has held no discussions with Russia on gas.

Energy Supply: Prices

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of those who have been moved to a new energy supplier due to their own supplier ceasing to trade were previously on a green tariff and have now been transferred to a non-green tariff.

Lord Callanan: We do not hold information on which tariff these customers were on with their previous supplier.

Insolvency Service: Finance

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 2 November (HL3272), what plans they have to commit extra resources to the Insolvency Service should the Ratings (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification Bill receive Royal Assent.

Lord Callanan: Following the outcome of Spending Review 2021, the Government is currently considering the resourcing level needed for the Insolvency Service to undertake its statutory functions which includes the additional proposed enforcement requirement contained in the Ratings and Director Disqualification Bill should that be passed by the House. That process is on-going, with budgets set to be finalised ahead of the next financial year.

Property: China

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 2 November (HL3262), what details they can provide regarding the 60 titles within the Greater London boundary where the registered owner is the People's Republic of China.

Lord Callanan: HM Land Registry holds information on registered titles in England and Wales. The type of information available includes the title register which records who owns the property or land and any rights of way, the title number which is the unique number given to a property or piece of land, and the title plan which shows the property or land’s location and boundaries. Further details about the information that HM Land Registry holds, and how publicly available information can be obtained is set out online via the GOV.UK website.

Electricity Generation

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the frequency with which Distribution Network Operators supply power outside the allowed fluctuations, and (2) the effects of such fluctuations on the safety devices on Electric Vehicle charging points.

Lord Callanan: The Electricity System Operator is responsible for keeping the overall frequency and voltage of the GB electricity network within the statutory limits and publishes annual data on system excursions. Conditions on the electricity distribution network, or internal wiring at a premises, can alter the voltage at a specific Electric Vehicle (EV) charging point. EV charging points are designed to operate over wide voltage and frequency ranges. They are also fitted with internal protective devices to limit damage should excursions exceed safe limits. Should any customers have concerns about voltage management at their premises, they can raise them with their Distribution Network Operator for investigation.

Help to Grow Scheme

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to change the eligibility of the Help to Grow scheme to permit charities to participate.

Lord Callanan: Help to Grow: Management is designed to support SMEs, so charities are not eligible.

Department of Health and Social Care

Embryos

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer fromLord Kamall on 2 November 2021 (HL3362), how prospective patients are best enabled to give informed consent if the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority needs to suppress the release of pertinent data on safety and efficacy of methods to avoid mitochondrial disease through assisted conception; how they consider patient confidentiality may be compromised by the release of anonymised numerical data; and which other approved medical treatments or areas of biomedical research, if any, require similar secrecy regarding safety and efficacy data.

Lord Kamall: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended) and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s Code of Practice requires centres licensed to offer mitochondrial donation treatment to provide prospective patients with appropriate information about the treatment, including access to genetic consultation and counselling and obtain the written informed consent of patients before treatment can proceed.The symptoms of mitochondrial disease are often unique to the individual affected, which taken together with the small number of patients approved to date and the need to ensure individuals are not identified, means that it is not yet possible to assess data on safety and efficacy of these methods beyond the number of approvals and details of mitochondrial DNA mutations for each approval. All healthcare professionals must not release data which may make patients and their health conditions identifiable.

General Practitioners: Working Hours

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many GPs are currently working for (1) three or fewer days per week, (2) four days per week, and (3) five days per week; and what is the average salary for each of these categories.

Lord Kamall: The data on General Practitioners (GPs) working hours broken down by number of days worked per week is not collected.Data on the full-time equivalent work commitments of GPs, broken down into working hours bands, are shown in the following table:Headcount of qualified permanent GPs (excludes GPs in training grade and locums) by work commitment in England, September 2021 1,2, 3Working commitmentNumber (headcount) Working less than or equal to 15 hours per week (2,879Working greater than 15 hours to less than 37.5 hours per week (>0.4 to24,016Working 37.5 hours and over per week (>= 1 FTE)8,447 Data on the average salaries of GPs broken down by days worked per week or weekly hours bands is not collected. Notes1 Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components, due in part to individuals working across multiple roles and areas. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Data Quality statement.2 Figures shown do not include staff working in Prisons, Army Bases, Educational Establishments, Specialist Care Centres including Drug Rehabilitation Centres, Walk-In Centres and other alternative settings outside of traditional general practice such as urgent treatment centres and minor injury units.3 This is the third release to be based on the monthly collection of general practice workforce information. Following stakeholder feedback and the move to monthly publications we are reviewing the implementation of methodological changes introduced in the June 2021 publication. See the Methodology Review publication page of this release for more information. Until this review is complete, all published figures remain provisional and we will not be presenting a time series. Therefore, only statistics relating to September 2021 are included in this release. The time series will be reinstated once the review has been concluded and a methodology agreed. This table shows the headcount numbers of staff by their work commitment, where 37.5 hours a week = 1 FTEData as at the last day of the applicable month Source: NHS Digital

Lung Diseases: Screening

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in England are waiting to have spirometry testing in primary care; and how many people are waiting for their diagnosis of suspected lung disease to be confirmed.

Lord Kamall: The information is not available in the format requested.

Dentistry: Coronavirus

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) dentists, (2) dental surgeons, and (3) dental hygienists working for the NHS or privately in England are required to have COVID-19 vaccinations.

Lord Kamall: Dentists, dental surgeons and dental hygienists providing Care Quality Commission regulated activities are within scope of the vaccination as a condition of deployment requirements. These requirements apply to services both privately and publicly provided.The draft Health and Social care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations were laid on 9 November setting out the requirements. These regulations are subject to the affirmative procedure.

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend(1) to launch, and (2) to chair, a partnership forum on behalf of theOffice for Health Improvement and Disparities; and if so, who will be the members of that forum.

Lord Kamall: On the 1 October the Department launched the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities to work in partnership with national and local Government, the National Health Service, the voluntary sector, industry and the wider public health system to improve health outcomes and disparities. We are currently in the process of establishing governance and advisory structures to engage wider partners and stakeholders across the public health system. Further information will be made available in due course.

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities: Finance

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities will receive a separate funding allocation from HM Treasury; and if so, whether that will be for the next three years.

Lord Kamall: The settlement announced by the Chancellor on 27 October 2021 delivers significant investment in public health measures, including funding a Start for Life offer for families and a continuation of the £100 million announced at the Spending Review 2020 to help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight. The settlement also maintains the Public Health Grant in real terms over the Spending Review period. The Spending Review confirms the overall settlement available for the Department of Health and Social Care’s non-National Health Service budgets for three years – 2022/2023, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025. Spending plans for 2022/2023 and beyond and full details on funding allocations towards public health budgets will be subject to a detailed financial planning exercise and finalised in due course. In response to the Dame Carol Black recommendations from the Independent Review of drugs, we take the challenge of illegal drug misuse seriously, and the Government will set out further action in the coming months.

Health: Exercise

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of physical activity in tackling health (1) improvement, and (2) disparities.

Lord Kamall: The Department, under the guidance of Chief Medical Officer (CMO), has assessed the role of physical activity in improving health and tackling disparities, and has laid this out in the revised 2019 CMO guidelines for physical activity. Physical activity can contribute to managing and reducing the risk of chronic conditions, including some cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression. Physical activity can also help maintain a healthy weight and support weight loss when combined with a dietary intervention. There are inequalities in physical activity, for example people living with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and so universal and targeted action can support these groups get more active. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is committed to enabling a systems approach to improve physical activity levels. This includes promoting the CMO guidelines for physical activity, and the national framework for action on physical activity ‘Everybody active, every day’.

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities: Staff

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the staffing compliment for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities will be; and what percentage of staff will transfer from Public Health England.

Lord Kamall: The Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) was established on 1 October. Around 930 staff have moved into OHID from Public Health England (PHE) – the majority of PHE’s health improvement functions, together with around 300 staff working on Public Health in the Department of Health and Social Care. Around three quarters of staff in OHID are from Public Health England. Work is now being taken forward in the light of the Spending Review settlement to confirm the future budget and staffing levels for OHID.

NHS: Coronavirus

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the latest figures for NHS staff who have refused to have COVID-19 vaccinations.

Lord Kamall: The data requested is currently not collected centrally. NHS England publishes the number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered to NHS Trust Health Care Workers in the NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This covers all directly employed staff in NHS Trusts, but does not include data on agency staff and others that are not paid through ESR. This data is published weekly, with a percentage breakdown provided monthly. As of the latest data published data on 14 October, 92.4% of NHS Trust Health Care Workers in the NHS ESR had received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, whilst 89% had received their second dose. All primary schedules of currently deployed vaccines comprise two doses.

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the initial priorities for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities do not include (1) mental health, or (2) physical activity.

Lord Kamall: The Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) aims to systematically tackle the top preventable risk factors for poor health, improving the public’s health and narrowing health inequalities. We have not set out a comprehensive list of policies that OHID will cover, but both public mental health and physical activity are within OHID’s remit. OHID and the wider Department of Health and Social Care will work collaboratively with the rest of government, the healthcare system, local government and wider partners to build evidence and drive forward action to prevent ill health and address disparities.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that people living in rural areas are able to go to their nearest vaccination centre to receive their COVID-19 booster jab.

Lord Kamall: The National Health Service, alongside its health and social care partners have developed different delivery models which operate concurrently to provide flexibility in our approach and ensure the entire population has access to the COVID-19 booster vaccines, including for those living in rural areas. This includes delivery through hospital hubs, vaccination centres, Primary Care Network-led sites, and community pharmacy-led sites. The network of vaccination sites has been designed to fit the expected vaccine supply and ensure safe and easy access for the whole population. Currently 98% of the population in England live within 10 miles of a vaccination site. For those in highly rural areas there is a standard operating model for roving and mobile delivery models to go directly to these communities. For example, in Swindon and Wiltshire local authority the roving model was used in the form of vaccination bus. The bus overcame barriers such as needing to travel long distances to vaccination sites. A problem solving framework has been issued with best practice and practical guidance for implementing a range of interventions to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccinations. For example health coaches from the voluntary and charitable sector were used in rural West Yorkshire to support individuals to access vaccination clinics, and in rural Derbyshire Dales local volunteers from mountain rescue teams and community first responders supplement national volunteers to transport elderly and physically disabled patients to vaccination sites.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safety of care home (1) residents, and (2) staff, given recent reports that only 28.8 per cent of residents and 14.1 per cent of staff have had a COVID-19 booster vaccination.

Lord Kamall: The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies has advised that a vaccination uptake rate of 90% in residents and 80% in staff in each individual care home setting would be needed to provide a minimum level of protection against outbreaks of COVID-19. As of 7 November, 94.9% of residents and 90.2% of staff in homes for older people have received their second dose based on responses from 99.2% of providers. As of 22 October, 88% of care homes had either been visited by the booster programme or appointments have been booked.

Health Services: Equality

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 26 October (HL3010), what plans they have to engage with stakeholders before the publication of NHS England's Unified Information Standard on Protected Characteristics including with groups who do not wish sex to be redefined.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 26 October (HL3010), what assessment they have made of the recommendation by NHS England and NHS Improvement that the Universal Information Standards for sex and gender should include (1) the gender identity categories (a) male (including transman), (b) female (including transwoman), and (c) non-binary, and (2) a question about whether the individual’s gender identity was the same at birth.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 26 October (HL3010) and the statement by the Home Secretary on 23 October about the distortion caused to female crime statistics by the recording of offences by transwomen within this category, what assessment they have made of similar concerns regarding data collection by NHS England.

Lord Kamall: The Unified Information Standard for Protected Characteristics will assist in improving the consistency and comparability of healthcare data, improving our understanding of service access and outcomes by protected characteristics. Greater transparency should enable service improvement and assist the National Health Service in meeting its duties under equalities legislation.The recommendations are based on the views of stakeholders as well as a comprehensive review of available evidence and literature. The report, once published, will be accompanied by further stakeholder engagement, including with groups who do not wish their sex to be redefined. The report recommends recording of sex at birth and collection of data on gender reassignment. The detail of how this recommendation could be implemented will require further stakeholder engagement in due course.

Catheters: Urinary Tract Infections

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the number of catheter associated urinary tract infections acquired by patients while in hospital.

Lord Kamall: NHS England is currently developing a national manual for infection prevention. This will outline standard precautions to prevent all infections, including those caused by invasive devices such as urinary catheters. This will build on the current infection control measures.

Steroid Drugs: Misuse

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional steps they intend to take to identify patients at risk of long-term overuse of mid to high potency topical steroids, as a result of the recent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency reportTopical steroid withdrawal reactions: a review of the evidence, published on 15 September.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support is available nationally for patients experiencing the extreme (1) physical, and (2) mental, topical steroid withdrawal symptoms identified in theMedicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency reportTopical steroid withdrawal reactions: a review of the evidence, published on 15 September 2021.

Lord Kamall: No additional steps are being taken to identify patients at risk of overuse of, or experiencing withdrawal symptoms from, using topical steroids. Patients on long term medication are offered regular Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) through their GP practice. SMRs are an evidence-based and comprehensive review of a patient’s medication, taking into consideration all aspects of their health.Patients should consult their doctor or a pharmacist if they have any concerns or experience any side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote the wearing of face masks in crowded locations, particularly indoors.

Lord Kamall: The wearing of face coverings in indoor settings is no longer a mandatory requirement in England. However, to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Government expects and recommends that everyone continues to wear face coverings in situations when they are likely to come into contact with people they do not normally meet, particularly in enclosed, crowded or poorly ventilated spaces.

Wales Office

Coal: Mining

Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any, they have received from the Welsh Government requesting financial assistance to make safe coal-tips that existed prior to 1999.

Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: The Secretary of State for Wales has regular discussions with colleagues in the Welsh Government on a wide range of subjects, including the request for additional financial assistance to make coal tips safe. The Secretary of State for Wales met with the Welsh Government Minister for Finance and Local Government on 20 October 2021, where they discussed this matter, among others. The matter was also discussed at the recent Coal Tip Safety Summit which was co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Wales and the First Minister. The Secretary of State reiterated that the management of coal tips in Wales is a devolved matter and therefore not a matter the UK Government would expect to provide additional funding for. Nevertheless, as a testament to our commitment, we provided £31 million to the Welsh Government to ensure that vital work to help with the unforeseen consequences of Storm Dennis could be delivered. The Welsh Government is more than adequately funded to manage the costs of its devolved responsibilities. The UK Government has provided the Welsh Government with an additional £2.5 billion a year over the SR21 period through the Barnett formula. This spending review settlement provides Welsh Government with around £120 per person for every £100 of equivalent funding in England, which is over 20% higher than equivalent funding in England. This is around £1 billion per year more than the agreed level of fair funding set out in the Welsh Government's fiscal framework. Therefore, the Welsh Government can pay for coal tip maintenance and still have more than fair funding for their other devolved responsibilities.

Department for Education

Languages: Primary Education

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor the delivery of the national curriculum requirement that a foreign language be taught at Key Stage 2.

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many primary schools in England are not teaching a foreign language at Key Stage 2.

Baroness Barran: All maintained schools are required to follow the national curriculum, which includes teaching any modern or ancient foreign language at key stage 2. Academies are expected to teach a curriculum which is similar in breadth and ambition as the national curriculum. The department does not collect data on all schools on the teaching of individual subjects in primary schools, and this includes languages. Similarly, Ofsted does not inspect each individual subject in its inspections but would look at whether schools are teaching a broad, balanced, and well-sequenced curriculum. Any concerns that a maintained school may not be complying with the requirement to teach languages at key stage 2 should, in the first instance, be raised via the school’s complaints procedure. If the complaint is not resolved, then the issue can be escalated to the Department for Education’s school complaints unit.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

House of Lords Chamber

Lord Blencathra: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to the Written Answers byLord Gardiner of Kimble on 2 November (HL3271, HL3268, HL3269), what consultation about the wearing of wigs took place with the clerks who (1) sit, or (2) may sit, at the Table; and what was the division of opinion amongst them.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: In the summer the clerks at the Table were consulted about the wearing of uniform. A range of views were expressed and discussed with the Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk Assistant. Future Table clerks were not consulted as they are not a clearly defined group.

House of Lords Chamber

Lord Blencathra: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to the Written Answers byLord Gardiner of Kimble on 2 November (HL3271, HL3268, HL3269), how many clerks that undertake duties at the Table of the House are in possession of wigs; and how many new wigs would be required so that all clerks who sit at the Table have one; and what assessment he has made of how many additional clerks may begin duties at the Table in the next 12 months.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The number of clerks actively on the Table duty rota each parliamentary term varies due to a number of factors and it is important to have some flexibility as required to meet the needs of the House. This term there are 12 clerks undertaking duties at the Table. Of these 9 have wigs and 3 do not. It is not possible to predict how many additional clerks may begin or resume duties in the next 12 months but one new Table clerk will join the team in January and they have no wig. Four other Table clerks are not currently active on the rota but may resume duties next year, one of those colleagues has a wig and three do not.

Victoria Tower: Floods

Baroness Deech: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment has been made of the risk from flooding to Victoria Tower.

Lord Touhig: The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The first floor of the Victoria Tower is 65 feet above ground level - emphasising its stature as the Royal Entrance - which means any flooding would only happen due to leaking pipe work at a higher level, or through the cast iron roof.It is known that the cast iron roof is in a poor state of repair. There is water ingress from roof level, but it is not yet critical. However, if the roof is left unrepaired its condition will only deteriorate further. In addition, much of the roof drainage system is concealed within stonework, which makes precise assessment of its condition difficult without carrying out thorough intrusive surveys. These surveys would be technically difficult to carry out due to the height, location and design of building.Water ingress is monitored and options are currently being explored to address the repair of the roof as part of the safety critical repairs to the Victoria Tower stonework.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Cuba: Human Rights

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to raise human rights abuses with the government of Cuba, including the rights to freedom of assembly, expression, and religion or belief; and whether they plan to send an observer from the British Embassy in Cuba to attend the trial of Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Our constructive and honest relationship with Cuba allows for frank dialogue on matters on which we do not agree. UK ministers and senior officials have raised our concerns over the approach to public demonstrations directly with the Cuban Government, including twice over the last month. The British Embassy in Havana also regularly raises these issues with the Cuban Government, and will continue to monitor the situation closely, including Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo's trial.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Visits Abroad

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government which ministers (1) have visited, and (2) are due to visit, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2021.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In July 2021, Minister Morton visited Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in her capacity as Minister for Europe and the Americas. Her visit comprised a wide range of engagements with political and civil society contacts, and encompassed not only Sarajevo but also trips to Mostar and to Srebrenica Genocide Memorial, where she paid her respects to those who were killed in the genocide. She also visited Albania and North Macedonia in October. BiH and the Western Balkans remain high on the agenda of the Government, and we are pursuing additional Ministerial visits to the region during the remainder of 2021.

Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has to meet with Christian Schmidt the EU's High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK remains in close contact with the High Representative, Christian Schmidt. Mr Schmidt and the Office of the High Representative continue to have the UK's full support, including for the use of executive powers should the situation require it. Mr Schmidt has recently confirmed that he intends to visit the UK in early December. His programme is not yet finalised, but we hope that he will have the opportunity to meet a range of HMG Ministers and senior officials as well as parliamentarians and others.

Omar Hasan Abu al-Nil

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the killing of Omar Abu a-Nil.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Our Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of the Israeli security force's adherence to the principles of necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.

Tareq Zubeidi

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the reported kidnap and torture of Tareq Zbeidi by Israeli settlers.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. The UK regularly raises the issue of settler violence with the Government of Israel, most recently with Israel's Ministry of Defence on 19 October. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to investigate thoroughly every instance to bring those responsible to justice. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.

Israeli Settlements

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the statement from US state department spokesman Ned Price on 26 October that the government of the USA “strongly opposed the expansion of settlements”, and (2) the diplomatic implications of (a) the final approval by an Israeli planning committee for 1,800 housing units, and (b) the preliminary approval by that committee for 1,344 others, in the West Bank.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the Minister for Middle East and North Africa made clear on 28 October, we urge the Government of Israel to reverse the decisions on 24 October and 27 October to advance the construction of settlement units in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. We continue to urge the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships to avoid actions which make peace more difficult to achieve.

Balkans: Foreign Relations

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions on the Western Balkans (1) the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, (2) the Secretary of State for Defence, and (3) the National Security Adviser, have had with their counterparts in (a) the United States, (b) France, (c) Germany, and (d) Italy, since January 2020.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We routinely discuss matters of European security with the United States, France, Germany, and Italy, including challenges in the Western Balkans. This includes coordination in capitals and in the region, and ahead of relevant meetings in the UN, NATO and other fora. The Foreign Secretary will raise the Western Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the forthcoming NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Riga. The Foreign Secretary will also discuss the region with counterparts at the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Liverpool in December.

Tigray: Conflict Resolution

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Olusegun Obasanjo since his appointment as High Representative for the Horn of Africa Region by the Commission of the African Union, in order to offer (1) support, and (2) assistance, in seeking a resolution to the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Foreign Secretary and international colleagues spoke with Olusegun Obasanjo on 12 October and offered our full support to his efforts. The Minister for Africa spoke with him on 4 November to discuss the situation in Ethiopia and reiterate our full support. Whilst he is in Addis Ababa, our ambassador is keeping in close contact with him.

Cuba: Religious Freedom

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to the 4 November statement by the All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief on the government of Cuba's targeting of religious leaders following protests in July.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is concerned by the arrests of religious leaders in Cuba, and reports of their continued maltreatment by the Government of Cuba. We have raised our concerns over ongoing detentions directly with the Cuban Government, both in London and Havana. We are clear that all Cubans should have the right to protest peacefully, and that detention must not be used as a tool to restrict freedom of expression, assembly, and religion. The UK was one of the first countries to call for the Cuban people to be allowed to express their views freely and peacefully following the Cuban Government's response to demonstrations on 11 July. We continue to monitor the situation closely.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the OSCE Minsk Group regarding the withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from the (1) Syunik, and (2) Gegharkunik, provinces.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government is closely monitoring the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Through the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and bilateral engagement in Baku and Yerevan, UK officials continue to urge the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to settle all outstanding matters including the peaceful negotiation of their borders. Although not a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, the UK continues to support its work to facilitate discussions on issues such as border tensions.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Azerbaijan regarding the returning of all Armenian prisoners of war.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government continues to raise the importance of the return of all prisoners of war and other detainees. In her most recent conversations with the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers, on 14 June and 6 September respectively, the Minister for Europe and Americas raised the importance of the return of all prisoners of war and detainees. The Minister also discussed this and related issues in her 4 November meeting with the Armenian Ambassador.

West Bank: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they will make to the government of Israel about reports of Israeli settlers firing at Palestinians in the West Bank on 26 June.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. The UK regularly raises the issue of settler violence with the Government of Israel, most recently with Israel's Ministry of Defence on 19 October. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance to bring those responsible to justice. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, if any, to the government of Israel in relation to reports of the use by Israeli forces of (1) tear gas, and (2) sound bombs, against people trying to protect the graves at the Palestinian al-Yusufiyah cemetery in East Jerusalem on 27 June.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flood Control: Millbank

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to prevent flooding along Millbank; and what measures are involved.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Millbank in Westminster is at risk from two main sources of flooding: surface water flooding caused by heavy rainfall and flooding from the tidal Thames. Lead Local Flood Authorities (London Boroughs) hold responsibility for managing surface water flooding, under the Flood and Water Management Act. As a Category 1 responder, the Environment Agency works with other authorities, where possible, to support their response to surface water flooding.The Thames' tidal defence network is made up of 330 kilometres of flood walls, embankments, 9 major barriers, pumping stations, and flood gates. The Thames Barrier is at the heart of this network, having made its 200th closure to prevent flooding in central London in October this year. These structures protect over £321 billion worth of property and 1.4 million people from flooding. These structures are all having to work harder due to climate change.The Environment Agency's Thames Estuary 2100 Plan sets a long-term approach upgrading flood defences to manage rising sea levels whilst delivering wider social, environmental and economic benefits for the Thames Estuary. The Thames Estuary 2100 Plan was designed with climate change at its core. It was the first adaptive flood risk management strategy developed in England and is internationally recognised as a leading example of a climate adaptation strategy. By taking an adaptive approach, we can better anticipate and respond to a range of future climate scenarios, ensuring we are investing in the right flood risk management actions at the right time, to ensure the resilience of the estuary and its communities in the future.

Deposit Return Schemes

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their response to theConsultation on Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Second Consultation, published on 24 March.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Final details and next steps for the deposit return scheme will be presented in a Government response which will be published in due course. An impact assessment to support final proposals for the introduction of the scheme will also be published alongside the Government response.

Plastic Bags: Charities

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the environmental impact of the fundraising practice of delivering plastic charity bags to millions of households.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan sets out our ambition to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste and we are making great strides to tackle plastic pollution. In December 2018 we published the Resources and Waste Strategy, which sets out how we want to achieve this and move towards a circular economy.The single-use carrier bag charge has led to a 95% reduction in the consumption of these bags in the main supermarkets. To build on the success of the charge so far, in May this year we increased the charge to 10p and extended it to all retailers. We will be consulting later this year on banning a range of single-use plastic items, including single-use plastic plates, cutlery, and polystyrene cups.We have not assessed the environmental impact of the fundraising practice of delivering plastic charity bags, and we have no immediate plans to investigate this practice. However, we are continuing to review the latest evidence on problematic products, and in particular single use items, and will carefully weigh up the different factors at play in considering any policy interventions where appropriate.

Graffiti

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of money being spent on graffiti removal; and what assessment they have made of its impact in residential areas.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government has commissioned environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy to conduct research on the costs, impacts and public perceptions of graffiti, including the role of street art, and how data sources can be leveraged to improve local environmental quality. The research is expected to be published early next year. In the recently published Build Back Better High Streets Strategy, we committed to produce new guidance for local authorities and business owners on best practice for managing graffiti, supported by a new £2 million fund. The guidance will give examples of good practice, draw on the latest research (including that mentioned above) and professional expertise in this area and highlight the importance of keeping high-street infrastructure clean and clear of graffiti.

Waste Disposal

Viscount Colville of Culross: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the provision of the Environment Bill to enable charges to be levied on single-use items made from any material will enable charges to be placed on products made from easily-recyclable materials.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The single-use items charge is for products which would be given away along with a good or service. This power would enable the Government to impose charges on single-use items made from any material, including recyclable materials.

Deposit Return Schemes

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with relevant industries regarding the membership of the proposed Deposit Management Organisation.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The formation of the Deposit Management Organisation is still being considered and we will work with interested parties (in particular drinks producers and retailers) to ensure a structure with appropriate expertise and representation is in place to manage the operation of the deposit return scheme. No formal engagement on this has yet taken place.

Packaging: Waste

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their response to the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging: Consultation Document, published on 25 March.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government continues to work closely with the Devolved Administrations in considering the responses to the consultation and final policy proposals. The Government consultation response is due to be published in early 2022.

Home Office

Asylum: Napier Barracks

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact on integration of housing people seeking asylum in Napier Barracks.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The ongoing use of Napier Barracks is necessary to meet the demand to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. The support and integration of asylum seekers accommodated in Napier is the same as those accommodated in other types of accommodation.Asylum seekers have access to Migrant Help, a voluntary sector organisation funded by the Home Office, are able to use the NHS free of charge and are provided with other support to cover their essential living needs, in the same way as other asylum seekers accommodated by the Home Office.Residents are free to leave the site and are encouraged to do so for social, religious or cultural purposes. There have been a number of improvements made to the facilities over recent months, designed to aid integration such as the reintroduction of sports and recreational activities and Non-Government Organisations on site providing activities, advice and assistance.

Town and Country Planning (Napier Barracks) Special Development Order 2021

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions (1) Ministers, and (2) representatives, from the Home Office had with Shepway District Council before the Town and Country Planning (Napier Barracks) Special Development Order 2021 (SI 2021/962) was laid before Parliament.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Discussions took place with both Folkestone & Hythe District Council (formerly Shepway District Council) and Kent City Council, outlining the background and explaining our plan to continue using the site.

Offenders: Deportation

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many convicted foreign offenders were deported after completing their prison sentences in each quarter since 1 January 2020.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: This Government is clear that foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them.Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence in the UK is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity.The New Plan for Immigration will stop foreign criminals abusing the system and speed up the removals of those with no right to remain in the UK.The Home Office publishes data on the number of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) returned from the UK in each quarter in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly release’. The latest data, published on 26th August 2021, can be found in tables Ret_02 and Ret_02q of the Returns Summary tables. The latest data relates to year ending March 2021 and includes those who were detained in detention centres and prisons.Tables Ret _02 and Ret-02q  (xlsx, 34.3KB)

Cabinet Office

Public Consultation: Codes of Practice

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all government departments are expected to abide by the Cabinet Office Consultation Principles and Code of Practice to conduct 12-week formal written consultations where the voluntary and community sector are involved.

Lord True: The Government Consultation Principles provide departments with guidance on conducting consultations. Individual departments are accountable for their own consultation practice. The Consultation Principles replaced the Code of Practice on Consultations in 2012 and were updated in 2018. The Principles do not prescribe a minimum length of a consultation but are clear that consultations should last for a proportionate amount of time. The length of a consultation should be judged on a case by case basis and in certain cases consulting for too long will unnecessarily delay policy development.

Treasury

VAT: Tax Evasion

Lord Leigh of Hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many businesses have been investigated for VAT evasion that took place before January as a direct result of changes to VAT remittance and collection arrangements that came into effect that month.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: On 1st January 2021, new legislation introduced by the Government took effect which changes the rules for the VAT treatment of goods sold by businesses based overseas. These changes were introduced to further address non-compliance and evasion of VAT. HMRC has a long-standing programme of compliance activity with such businesses, which continues. Since 1st January 2021, HMRC has investigated 4,488 businesses for non-compliance with VAT obligations that took place before then.

Ministry of Justice

Youth Custody: Safety

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address safety concerns across the youth custody estate in England and Wales.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: We are clear that levels of violence within the youth secure estate are too high, which is why we are continuing to reform youth custody so that children are safer, and better able to lead positive, constructive lives upon their release. We have also been using the COVID-19 period to ensure that benefits or lessons learned are built into future delivery.We continue to train and upskill our staff so they are better able to meet the needs of children in custody. Having introduced the youth justice specialist role, providing funding for every prison officer to take up a foundation degree in youth justice, as of August 2021, 249 youth justice specialist officers were already in post with a further 260 staff signed up or undertaking the learning at this point.

Crown Court: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how long it will take to clear the backlog of Crown Court cases resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: We are already seeing the effects of our efforts to tackle the impact the pandemic has had on our justice system.We allocated over a quarter of a billion pounds on recovery last financial year, making court buildings safe, rolling out new technology for remote hearings, recruiting additional staff and opening Nightingale courtrooms, including retaining 32 Nightingale courtrooms until the end of March 2022. We are now focused both on increasing capacity of the criminal courts and maximising use of existing facilities in areas where they are needed most. There is no limit on the number of days Crown Courts can sit this financial year. The department is also working closely with the judiciary to ensure we have the capacity required to maximise the number of court hearings taking place this year and to minimise disruption to cases listed for hearings. The Ministry of Justice’s Spending Review settlement provides £477 million to improve waiting times for victims and to reduce Crown Court backlogs caused by the pandemic.

Criminal Proceedings

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to increase confidence in the criminal justice system.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The overall changes we are making to improve the criminal justice system are designed to give all communities increased confidence in it. This includes recruiting 20,000 extra police officers, improving handovers between agencies, and addressing the backlog in the criminal courts through our Court Recovery Plan. We are increasing the transparency of the Criminal Justice System by publishing quarterly scorecards detailing national and regional performance.

Judicial Review: Reform

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the rules regarding judicial review.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: In March and April this year the Government consulted on reforms to judicial review, taking account of the excellent work of the Independent Review of Administrative Law chaired by Lord Faulks.The Government’s response to the consultation, published in July, confined itself to the matters of substantive law reform raised in the consultation and explained the rationale for the judicial review measures contained in the Judicial Review and Courts Bill.The Government has yet to publish a response which deals with the proposed changes to the Civil Procedure Rules on which it consulted. It will do so in due course.

Human Rights

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform human rights legislation.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: As the Deputy Prime Minister has set out, we will overhaul the Human Rights Act (HRA) to end its abuse by dangerous criminals and restore common sense to our justice system. In line with our manifesto commitment we will make sure it meets the needs of the society it serves and commands public support. The Government established the Independent Human Rights Act Review to examine the framework of the HRA, how it is operating in practice and whether any change is required. We have received the Panel’s report and are carefully considering its conclusions as part of a wider reform programme. We will publish the Panel’s report in due course and will consult on any proposed legislative changes.

Prisoners: Gender Recognition

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many female prisoners who are transitioning to male, or who have a gender recognition certificate, are incarcerated in prison units holding male biological sex inmates.

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manymale prisoners who are transitioning to female, or who have a gender recognition certificate, are incarcerated in prison units holding female biological sex inmates; and what proportion of those prisoners have retained their full male genitalia.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) record the legal (rather than biological) gender of prisoners. For transgender prisoners with gender recognition certificates (GRCs), this is in line with the Gender Recognition Act 2004. Where required for statistical purposes, data on the characteristic of gender reassignment is obtained via a separate matching exercise, using information from the annual collection of data on transgender prisoners. At the time of HMPPS’ latest Offender Equalities Report (conducted on 31st March 2019), of 129 transgender prisoners in the men’s prison estate, there were none who identified as male, although ten individuals did not specify their gender identity during the data exercise. 92% of transgender women (those who were of male sex at birth and now identify as women) were held in the men’s estate. There were 11 transgender prisoners in the female estate who identified as female (out of 34 transgender prisoners in total). Because of the way gender identity data was previously collected, it is important to note that the above figures may also include those who identified in other ways, such as those who are non-binary. This data does not include prisoners with gender recognition certificates. HMPPS continue to refine the scope and quality of data relating to gender identity. Transgender prisoners are managed on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with ‘The Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender’ policy framework. All risks (both to and from the prisoner) are thoroughly considered, including anatomy where appropriate.

Women and Equalities

Government Departments: Gender Recognition

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 1 November (HL3551), why giving civil servants in departments and arms-length bodies the opportunity to declare their sex could result in employees being questioned about their gender, as reported in the Guidance on Gender Pay Gap by the Government Equalities Office; and what consequences their approach has for gender pay gap reporting.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Civil Service uses employees' gender identification from information they have already provided for HR/payroll purposes. This can be updated by individuals, giving them the option to make proactive declarations regarding their gender.The gender pay gap reporting guidance for employers does not distinguish between sex and gender, as most employers do not hold this level of information about their workforce and requiring them to do so would undoubtedly increase the burden on business associated with gender pay gap reporting. Asking employees to provide information which makes this differentiation could result in them being questioned about their gender, and require them to provide personal information without a clear purpose. It is for this reason that we stress the importance of sensitivity when employers are collecting information.The overall effect of not differentiating between sex and gender in gender pay gap reporting is likely to be small, and will not have a significant impact on data accuracy.

Women's Rights: Gender Recognition

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord True on 1 November (HL3551), how the rights of biological women will be affected if they are included statistically in the same category with biological men who identify as women.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: There is currently no harmonised standard on collecting data on sex across Government. However, the Office for Statistics Regulation has published draft guidance on what to consider when collecting and reporting data on sex in official statistics. The Government Statistical Service is also looking at developing guidance for public bodies on the collection of data on sex and gender using harmonised standards.While there is currently no robust estimate on the size of the transgender population in the UK, existing evidence suggests that this population is small. It has been tentatively suggested that approximately 200,000-500,000 transgender people live in this country. On this basis, our assessment is that the different approaches considered by government departments for the collection of sex and/or gender data are unlikely to have a large effect on national data sets.The Government believes that transgender people should be free to live and prosper in modern Britain. We are also absolutely committed to championing the rights of women and girls and are proud of our world-leading legislative framework of rights. Data does not directly impact on individuals’ rights, rather policy development is rightly informed by a strong understanding and engagement with data and evidence. The Government believes that all people should have an equal opportunity to succeed in life, regardless of their sex, gender or background.

Conversion Therapy

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their consultation on how to make coercive conversion therapies illegal is in line with the Cabinet Office Consultation Principles in that all consultations involving the voluntary and community sector should be of 12 weeks duration; and whether they will extend the six-week planned consultation.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The consultation on banning conversion therapy opened on 29 October and will run until 10 December. The consultation follows the Cabinet Office consultation principles, which were updated in 2018 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consultation-principles-guidance.